Little dancing queen Eleanor is up for an award

Eleanor Kassae has been freestyle dancing for less than a year but has come on leaps and bounds, winning countless competitions and trophies.

The six-year-old star, from Kent Street, Jarrow, joined Melanie Moore’s Dance School last summer, and has worked her way through various levels to reach where she is today.

He mum, Rachael Kassae, 34, said she is delighted with her daughter’s nomination.

She said: “She was over the moon when she found out. She dances four nights a week at Melanie Moore’s Dance School in Simonside, Temple Park and the Scotch Estate and competes on the weekend. It’s our life now!

“She used to go to toddler dance and people would come up to me and say she has got something special.

”She started at beginner level but she has worked her way up to fast under-eight intermediate and slow under-eight champion. She has done really well.”

At just six years-old, the Tyneside dancing queen has travelled as far as Manchester and Scarborough to compete in her age category with many of the girls she is competing against being aged seven and over.

The Best of South Tyneside awards have a headline sponsor in Siemens and are being held in association with The Customs House, Port of Tyne, Bt South Tyneside, Barbour, David Gray and Harlow Print as category sponsors.

The deadline for entries for the Young Performer competition is Monday, April 4.

After that, all the finalists will get to perform at the Customs House in South Shields on Monday, April 18.

The deadline for entries the rest of the awards is May 6.

After that, judges will draw up a shortlist for each of the categories.

Then it’s on to the grand finale, which will be held this year at the Quality Hotel on June 9.

The awards will honour the borough’s unsung heroes.

To nominate send your name, address and telephone number, the name of the business or person you wish to nominate, along with their address, telephone number and email (if known)

State which category your nomination applies to (from the list of categories) and provide a description of the reasons for your nomination (no more than 300 words)

Post your nomination to: Nicola Meldrum, Alexander House, Second Floor, Rainton Bridge Business Park, Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland. DH4 5RA alternatively email [email protected] or [email protected]